Returned Treasure
by Bluejay Blaze
Summary: Dragon doesn't know how to deal with kids, so when he finds himself landed with two that he didn't expect, he does the same as when his son was born- passes them off to his father and hopes for the best. For three little boys, this is possibly the best decision the revolutionary could've made.


"Dragon, sir, where are we going?"

The most wanted man in the world stared down at the two children who clung to his cloak. They were adorable and strong- a redheaded girl who'd survived slavery and years with pirates, and a scarred blond who wanted nothing more than to escape his birthright. If he was their father, Dragon would have been so proud. He _was_ proud of them. Both wanted to join the revolution, to fight against the harsh rule of the Tenryuubito. Koala knew better than Sabo what was going on in the world, but even the amnesiac boy kept saying he wanted to rid the world of rotten people. And when they were older, Dragon and his army would be glad to have them.

But for now, there was a problem. Until they had been trained, Sabo and Koala would be in danger with the revolutionary army, even if they were just living in the base. And Dragon- and most of his soldiers- didn't know how to deal with children. The tattooed man sighed. Really, if he was any good with children, he would've kept his son with him instead of shipping Luffy off to live with… _that_. Dragon shuddered and suppressed some memories from his own childhood.

"You and Koala are going to live with my father for a few years. He'll train you."

"But why?" Koala pouted and tugged gently on Dragon's cloak. He sighed.

"As much as I admire your determination, I can't in god conscience allow children to endanger themselves by hanging around the base without training. Besides- you'll be with my son."

Bingo. Both Koala and Sabo looked eager at that piece of news. Dragon was glad they were the only ones on the boat with him. Had, say Ivankov been there, the shock of him revealing Luffy's existence would've made the other revolutionary faint. Maybe he should talk about his family more, let his soldiers know their boss was actually human? Or would that endanger Luffy? Perhaps… He was fairly confident in his men, but there was always the chance of a mole. It was best to keep things secret for now.

Sabo stared at Dragon curiously. "You have a son?"

"Yes. He's about three years younger than you, I think. Monkey D Luffy."

The little blond twitched at the name. Well, he had been a noble in Goa Kingdom, and Dragon had heard his son was running amok there with a couple of other boys. Maybe Sabo had run across Luffy at some point.

An aura of strength, justice, and rice crackers appeared on the edge of Dragon's awareness. He squinted at the horizon, quickly picking out a familiar marine ship with a bulldog figurehead. Garp was approaching quickly. It wasn't long before the man-o'war drew alongside Dragon's inconspicuous fishing boat.

"You better have a good reason for calling me out here Brat." No, Dragon had not missed that voice.

The revolutionary looked up at his father with a wry smile. "Hello Father. How has Luffy been? Not tiring you too much, I hope?"

"Bah, as if the little rascal could do that, even with Ace's help. They're cute kids, just going through a bit of a rebellious streak right now."

"Then I don't suppose you'd mind looking after two more?" Dragon gently pushed Koala and Sabo forward, so they couldn't hide behind his cloak. Or rather, so Sabo couldn't. The little blond had instinctively ducked away when he heard Garp's voice. Interesting. "These are Koala and Sabo. I- as much as I admire their will to fight, I can't risk children's lives."

Blackeyes scanned both children quickly- Sabo first, then Koala, then flicking back to Sabo with an expression of surprise. And hope? Dragon frowned. Why would Garp look at Sabo like that? "What's your name Blondie?"

"Sabo, sir. Or at least, I think that's my name. It was written in my coat…" The blond stared at the deck in embarrassment.

Shock flashed over Garp's face, followed by sadness. He looked back at Dragon. "Alright Brat, I'll take your kids. I'm sure they'll become fine marines someday."

"They're not mine," Dragon grumbled, resenting the implication. Not that- he would've been proud to claim Sabo and Koala as his, but if they _were_ it would've meant he cheated on… No, it was best not to think about it.

Curiously, Sabo twitched at the mention of becoming a fine marine. Why was he so jumpy around Garp? Had they met before? Dragon supposed it was possible; his father _did_ spend a lot of time on Dawn Island when he got the chance. There was a good chance he'd been to Goa Kingdom a few times, and it was certainly possible he'd said or done something that would leave the young boy scared and confused. Actually, knowing Garp, that was the expected result if they'd met. Dragon shook his head and helped the children onto his father's ship, passing them their belongings. He smiled at them before turning to sail away.

"You two be good," he whispered, too quiet for Garp to hear. As much as he protested that he wasn't, the oldest Monkey was starting to go a bit deaf. Too many decades standing next to cannon when they fired. "And don't let him make you into marines if you don't want to be. Follow your own path, wherever it leads you."

Red and blond heads both nodded. Sabo beamed and tipped his hat as Dragon turned to leave. The revolutionary allowed his smile to grow into a grin. He had a feeling he'd be seeing these two again in a few years.

 **xXx**

"Ace! Luffy! Get over here you brats! Come say hello to your grandpa!"

Sabo and Koala jogged to keep up with Garp as the marine led them through the dense undergrowth of a mountain forest. As they climbed, the boy couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu that came over him. He felt like he'd seen this forest before, maybe in a dream. Although what kind of dream would include a loud vice-admiral who ate too many rice crackers, Sabo wasn't sure. Yet he was sure Garp belonged in this forest, that he was part of whatever memory Sabo might have of it.

The déjà vu became stronger when they came to a crude hut in the middle of the jungle. Garp pounded on the door until it opened, answered by a mountain of a woman with frizzy, fiery hair. A tall, rooster-like man and a short one with a turban stood beside her.

"Garp! We weren't expecting you!" All three looked panicked. Sabo couldn't blame them; his few weeks with Garp had been harrowing. He and Koala had been made to spar with the old man on his ship, to help defend the man-o'war from sea kings… The blond shuddered.

"I've got too more for you. Where are Ace and Luffy? I wanna introduce them."

"For the last time, I'm not running a daycare!" The woman raged for a moment before cowering under Garp's gaze.

"So you'd rather I turned you all in?"

"No!"

"Not really!"

"Ace and Luffy aren't _that_ bad!"

After a few seconds of confused shouting, sweatdrops, and trembling, the massive woman waved a hand to quiet her men. Yes, _hers_ ; even without reading her body language, Sabo was sure she was the one in charge. "The boys are out hunting," the woman informed Garp, folding her arms.

"When will they be back?"

The mountainous woman opened her mouth to answer, only to be interrupted by something crashing through the undergrowth. A high-pitched, adorable voice soon became audible, accompanied by lower shouts.

"Dadan! Dadan! I caught a gator! All by myself this time too; I didn't get eaten or anything!"

"Slow down Lu! You're gonna make me drop the tail!"

Two boys with black hair appeared out of the brush- one about Sabo's age, the other much younger. They were carrying a huge alligator awkwardly between them. Upon seeing their guests, the pair dropped their kill with a thud. The younger gripped the brim of his straw hat fearfully; the elder went so pale that his freckles looked black against his skin.

"Eek! Grandpa!"

"Shit! You didn't tell us Gramps was coming!"

Both boys turned tail and ran. They didn't get far though; Garp grabbed them both by the backs of their shirts and lifted them up. "BRATS! HOW DARE YOU GREET YOUR LOVING GRANDPA THAT WAY? FIST OF LOVE!"

Sabo winced in sympathy as Garp struck the pair. They groaned and shook their heads. The younger boy's eyes were spinning. An ache grew at the back of Sabo's skull just seeing the impact. He was officially worried now; what kind of monster had Dragon given them to?

"Owie…" The younger one rubbed his head. "What was that for?"

"For running away from your grandpa, brat. And I have an awesome surprise for you too." Garp pouted, which was… odd. Sabo didn't think adult men were supposed to be able to pout, but Garp pulled it off surprisingly well.

The youngest boy's face lit up. "Sugoi! What kind of surprise?"

He was hit by his- brother? Yes, Sabo decided, the older boy was definitely the younger's brother. They looked alike, and the way they acted… "Lu! Don't let him trick you! It's probably just more of his crazy marine training!"

"Not this time." Garp put the brothers down. "No time, unfortunately. Just came to drop these two off. Ace, Luffy, these are Koala and-"

"Sabo!" The youngest one- Luffy- launched himself at Sabo and wrapped his arms numerous times around the waist. Wait, WHAT?! He must have some kind of Devil Fruit. Then the names registered with Sabo. This was Luffy, Dragon's son. And-

"How do you know my name?"

Huge brown eyes stared up at Sabo uncomprehendingly. "Huh? Why wouldn't I know? Sabo is Sabo."

He had stretchy, rubbery arms, so it couldn't be his Devil Fruit that let him know Sabo's name. The blond turned to the elder boy- Ace- with a question on his tongue. He was interrupted by a fist to his face.

"You asshole! Where were you? What happened? Dogra said you were blown up!"

"What?!" Sabo staggered back- and action that was made difficult by Luffy wrapped around him. Koala just stared in confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about! Who are you people?"

Ace froze; Luffy unwound and backed away, tears in his eyes. "Sabo… Sabo doesn't remember us?"

"He's not our Sabo," Ace said firmly. "It's just a coincidence Lu. They just look alike, that's all."

Sabo didn't know why the coldness in Ace's voice bothered him so much. He'd just met these boys; why did their opinion mean so much to him? The blond was lost in thought, not reacting as Garp left and Dadan explained the rules for living there. That was okay; Koala would tell him later. When Ace and Luffy took the gator inside to be cooked, Sabo turned to his friend.

"Koala… Do you think I know them?"

She shrugged. "They certainly seem to know you."

 **xXx**

Ace and Luffy hadn't spent a lot of time in their treehouse since Sabo died, but they decided to sleep there that night. It was better than sharing a room with the doppelganger and his girlfriend. Of course, the two Ds weren't actually able to sleep. They lay on the floor under familiar blankets, staring blankly at the empty space where a blond boy used to sleep. Luffy sighed.

"Are you sure he's not our Sabo Ace? He looks the same, except for the scar, and he feels and smells the same…"

"Our Sabo would remember us," Ace insisted, for the ninth time since meeting the stranger. "Sabo's dead… It's just a freaky coincidence that this guy has his name. Go to sleep."

It was silent for a moment before… "Ace?"

"What?"

"I can't sleep."

The elder sighed. "Me neither. What do you want to do?"

"I dunno. Just… I want Sabo back."

"You've been saying that for months." Ace groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Ergh, I want him back too. This new guy's just making things worse. We've gotta do something about him."

"But what?"

"Hell if I know! Sabo was the planner, not me!"

Luffy pouted and turned away. "I still think he's our Sabo…"

 **xXx**

Exploring with Koala was fun. Sabo enjoyed showing her how to climb the largest trees, which fruits were edible, how to hunt alligators with a pipe salvaged from the trash heap on the edge of the jungle- all things he seemed to know instinctively. The blond was sure now- he _had_ spent time in this forest before. Somehow… But he also knew he'd been a noble, that Dragon had met him in the city. The revolutionary leader had told him this. So… Why would a noble child be in the forest? And given how much he loved it, why, on getting this kind of freedom from parents he knew he hated, would he have gone back?

Ace and Luffy were avoiding them- or rather, Ace was, and the elder raven dragged his younger brother with him whenever he left. Sabo wondered where they went; except at dinner, the pair were never in the bandit camp. They didn't even sleep there. So whenever they weren't looking for food, Sabo and Koala spent a lot of time trying to figure out where Ace and Luffy went. Koala seemed to view this as training for a future as a detective or spy in the revolutionary army. For Sabo, it was more of an itch he had to scratch- he felt like something important would happen if only he could find where the brothers were hiding.

After about a month of this, the revolutionary children had become quite capable explorers and hunters. Or rather, Koala had _become_ capable, and Sabo had been amazed by exactly how much his body seemed to know when he didn't think about what he was doing. He had muscle memory for activities he didn't even know existed. So when the two heard an ear-splitting scream echo through the forest, it didn't take them long to run to its location.

Though he'd never heard it that he could remember, Sabo was sure the scream belonged to Luffy. It made his blood run cold.

Sabo and Koala burst free into a clearing before they knew it. Luffy was on the ground before them, his pipe broken and a great gash running down the length of one arm. Ace stood over him, barely holding off the largest tiger Sabo had ever seen. And yes, even his sealed memories and instincts were sure of this- although the feeling was accompanied by a sense of déjà vu, as so many things on this island were.

The elder D glanced quickly at the younger with a growl. "Lu, get out of here!"

"No! Not leaving Ace!" The rubber boy stood up and grabbed the broken halves of his pipe, though he looked unsure how to fight with them. "We can't fight the Tiger Lord alone, but we can beat him together! We're strong enough!"

"Idiot! Last time we had-!" Ace was batted out of the way by a massive paw before he could finish his sentence.

It was like a dance. Sabo watched in fascination as Ace and Luffy bounced, jumped, skidded and spun, dodging and striking like crows against an eagle. Koala was in the same boat, unable to look away. But as strong as the D brothers were, as amazing as their dance was, there was something missing. And without that something, they would eventually lose. Sabo could see it: a gap in the pattern, always there, as if there was supposed to be a third person. Neither D even seemed aware of the gap; leaving it was both instinctive and a huge flaw. It got them hurt more than once when they forgot to duck, as if expecting a third pipe to block the tiger's claws at the last second.

Koala saw the gap too. After watching for a few minutes, she leapt in- but her rhythm was all wrong. Sabo yelled outa warning, but no one heard. His friend blocked a few of the tiger's strikes, it was true, but she was too slow when it came time to try and go on the offensive. She was always a beat behind, her pipe swinging through empty air after Ace and Luffy had already knocked the tiger back. And then came a moment of red- Koala tried to hit the tiger's paw as it aimed a swipe at Luffy, only to hit the dodging rubber boy instead. While Luffy was unharmed, Koala was stunned. She froze for an instant, trying to apologize- and in that moment, the tiger knocked her into a tree. Koala flopped, unconscious.

Luffy and Ace were distracted- they may have avoided Sabo and Koala, but they didn't wish them harm. Their distraction provided the tiger with an opening. It roared and lunged at the D brothers, jaws gaping wide.

Sabo moved before he'd even realized it, jamming his pipe into the tiger's mouth and twisting, preventing it from devouring the brothers and tossing its head a bit to the side. That gave Ace and Luffy enough time to get their head back in the game. And unlike Koala, Sabo was able to match their rhythms as the fight resumed. When Ace forgot to duck, Sabo was there to block the swipe at the freckled boy's head; when Luffy bounced into the tiger's head and knocked it back, Sabo lunged forwards to smash his pipe down on its paw. And when Sabo tripped over the tails of his coat, Ace and Luffy were suddenly above him, holding the tiger up from crushing him under its weight.

"Lu," Ace growled as they shoved the tiger off to one side, "Rocket!"

"Right! Come on Sabo!" Luffy grabbed the blond and ran over to a couple of trees. "Stand here and get ready to fly!" the rubber boy instructed, grabbing both trees and pulling himself back like a slingshot.

"Wait, what?" Sabo had never seen Luffy do anything useful with his powers, so he had no idea what to expect.

"Gum-Gum Rocket!" A rubber missile smacked into Sabo's back, sending him flying forwards. He struck the tiger head on with his pipe. With so much extra momentum, that strike did what no other had- the tiger was knocked unconscious. Sabo tumbled and rolled on his landing, eventually coming to a stop on his back by Ace's feet. The freckled boy shot him a considering look before shaking his head and picking Koala up.

"Let's go, before it wakes up."

The D brothers led Sabo to a tree house that looked like something out of his dreams. All three boys scurried up, Ace still carrying Koala. Sabo was surprised to find a first-aid kit there he could use to patch her up- although he supposed he shouldn't have been, given how often Ace and Luffy seemed to get hurt.

"So… This is where you two disappear to all the time?" Sabo sat back, satisfied with how he'd bandaged Koala's head and Luffy's arm. Something felt very familiar about this. He could've sworn he'd patched Luffy up before- and not just once. Little Monkey was always getting into trouble.

Ace nodded. "Yeah. We built it a while ago with- Sabo. Our brother, the one Lu mistook you for."

Wincing in sympathy Sabo reached up to touch his scar. "I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"It's alright, I guess. You're not bad. The memories just hurt when we're around you too much."

That wasn't something Sabo had any experience with, not having much in the way of memories. He sat in silence with the other boys for a few minutes. Until Luffy broke it, that is. The youngest didn't seem to like the quiet very much.

"Ne, Sabo, where're you from?"

"Eh? Oh, Goa Kingdom. Dragon pulled me out of the water after a Tenryuubito shot my fishing boat up; I was trying to run away from my parents. They were… bad. I don't remember exactly what they did, but it must've been…" Sabo shuddered. "I have retrograde amnesia," he explained, though from the look on Ace and Luffy's faces, they didn't know what that meant. "I can't remember anything from before waking up in the infirmary on Dragon's ship, so for me to know I didn't want to go back, my parents must've been awful."

Ace and Luffy froze, then slowly turned and stared at each other. When Ace spoke, his voice was strangely quiet and filled with disbelief. "Our Sabo was from Goa Kingdom… He was a noble who ran away from home. They caught him though… Made him go back by threatening us."

Stunned, Sabo closed his eyes and rolled over onto his back. It made sense; everything clicked. He _had_ to be Ace and Luffy's Sabo- it fit with what Dragon knew about him, and explained the constant déjà vu he experienced on Dawn Island. It took a few minutes to find the words he needed to explain- though he was sure Ace and Luffy had already figured it out. The blond took a deep breath and opened his eyes…

And saw a flag fluttering well above him- ASL on a black background. The S glowed blue, with a paler blue X through it. White licked at the edges of Sabo's vision. His head throbbed. And then the memories came, a rapid wash of images that flooded all his senses, plucking him out of reality. The blond yelled in surprise and clutched at his hat, but he couldn't tell what was going on around him.

 _Three red cups clinked together, dripping sake over their rims. Three boys yelled their oath under a golden ray of sun. And the word- brothers- filled a hole in Sabo's heart that he hadn't even known was there. The blond boy beamed._

 **Seven Years Later**

Koala had left a year ago- it hadn't taken much to get her on board with the whole "leave the island at seventeen" plan. Last time she'd called, she'd just been promoted. Apparently, she was going to be helping someone named Hack train new recruits. Ace, Sabo, and Luffy were proud of their older sister. Not that they could tell anyone what she did; their ties to the revolutionary army were supposed to be a secret, after all. It had taken most of the past year to teach Luffy what that meant and how to keep one.

Ace raised an eyebrow as Sabo stepped into the boat beside him. "So, have you decided yet?"

The blond twirled his pipe into its strap on his back. "I think… I think it's for the best if I join the army. Just drop me off at Shimotsuki Village; Koala said that if I wanted to take Dragon up on his offer, I'd be able to meet a supply ship there."

"Still planning to write your book?"

"Of course. A life of espionage has to be _at least_ as interesting as that of a pirate. I bet I'll have adventures that would make even Lu's hair curl."

The two teens turned to look at their younger brother, picking his nose on the docks. His hair, like always, was mostly hidden under his hat, but what did poke out was as straight as it was messy. Ace snorted.

"I'll believe that when I see it."

"Well, since unlike you I won't be letting the government see me to give me a bounty, I'll just have to come by sometimes and show you. Your crew won't mind, will they?"

"If they do, they don't deserve to be on my crew."

They completed an inventory of their supplies while Luffy finished mining his nose. Ace and Sabo both laughed as their younger brother flicked the captured booger at the back of Mayor Woop Slap's head. It missed.

"Come on Lu, quit messing about with your nose for a minute. It's time for us to go!"

Luffy turned to beam and wave at his brothers. It was the smile both loved most in the world- almost enough to get them to stay behind. _Almost_. They still had their own dreams and adventures to see through. The elder pair waved back as they cast off.

"Bye Ace! Bye Sabo! Write me lots, okay! I wanna know all about your adventures!"

"We will!" Sabo promised. "Or at least, I will, and I'll make sure Sleeping Beauty does too!"

Expecting a protest at the nickname, Sabo was surprised to hear a loud snore. The narcolepsy had struck again. Smiling, the ex-noble took the helm of their little boat. He was always a better navigator than Ace anyway. He pulled out a map and whistled a tune as he figured out the best route to Shimotsuki Village.


End file.
